Monday, June 6, 2011

OC report

I'd like to be able to say that nothing at all happened on the 1st Annual OC Nonevent but something did. But even then, that really wasn't much of a big deal, either.

I went to Walmart and was told, by a woman I assume is an employee, that I needed to cover my gun. She told me that the store has a "no open weapons" sign on the door and I needed to pull my shirt over my gun. So, not wanting to cause a fuss on Nonevent Day, I complied. I then proceeded to walk through the store with a big gun-shaped lump under my tank top.

But really - who could blame her, right? This is how scary I looked:


Tiny woman in a skirt! With a gun! And a ponytail! (the bigger deal here was the skirt, trust me)

Anyway, the five remaining minutes Mike and I were in the store were spent asking each other,"Is there a sign? I've never seen a sign. Did you see a sign?"

We checked on the way out. No sign. And besides, a "cover up your gun" sign doesn't technically exist in Ohio. She could have asked me to leave if the building had it been posted with a "gun free zone" sign, but there wasn't one of those either.

So I guess I'll be writing a letter to Walmart corporation, asking them to remind the store manager of their open carry policy, which is to follow state laws.

After Walmart, I went inside a gas station to buy some diet coke and chips then we went for a walk in the park. We saw gigantic tadpoles and I think I might have gotten about eleventy million freckles but nothing else happened. Then we bought iced teas at the coffeehouse and walked around downtown Willoughby.

I then went home and ate some blueberry birthday pie, still a bit miffed that I had to hide my pretty new Dragon Leatherworks holster.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

24 comments:

Montana said...

I chose not to open carry yesterday. Mostly because I had no pressing errands to run but also because all of my holsters are open top and emphasize the quick deployment over retention under duress. Have you done any tests on that holster to see how hard it is for someone to take that gun away?

P.S. I'd love to see a full review on that holster. *hint hint*

Anonymous said...

Glad you had a good time.

I listened to CV Last night, so Happy belated Birthday.

Sorry I didn't OC yesterday, I was working a catch-up day from my b-day.

Clint1911

Mike W. said...

You mean she wasn't more worried about that massive power fan you had with you!? Sheesh!

Pie and ice cream on your birthday. Sounds good!

breda said...

Montana - review is forthcoming but I can tell you right now that the holster has some crazy good retention.

Nancy R. said...

It figures it would happen to you, of all people.

But that's very helpful to know that Wal-Mart policy it to follow state law. It will be interesting to hear their response to your letter.

Sean said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sean said...

OMG, she has a plant! Don't you know someone might be allergic to that?

Guffaw in AZ said...

MMMMM. Blueberry Pie!
Glad it wasn't a big deal.

(now I gotta find pie, damnit! You and Brigid and your food porn!)

The Packetman said...

Good on ya for not being 'that guy'.

We're winning ...

Jay G said...

I got some strange looks at the gas station where I stopped to gas up the bike, remove my helmet, and uncover the Colt.

Then again, I get strange looks regardless...

Sorry to hear you ran into close-minded nitwits, but you handled it perfectly...

jdege said...

You know, if you were 100 pounds heavier and 10 inches taller, that wouldn't like quite so big a gun...

Weer'd Beard said...

Bummer about the jerk inventing rules to cover their own phobias.

Snazzy looking holster, I wanna see some bigger pix of it!

I was in Massachusetts all weekend, so no OC for me. : (

An Ordinary American said...

Good for you, and well done.

We're pushing for OC in Texas, but it's not on the front burner.

(Our big push, that I blogged about today, is in not becoming a "No-Fly Zone" courtesy of TSA and DOJ while at the same time, making it a crime for TSA to grab your tallywhacker or fondle your ta-ta's.)

In small Texas town, OC is fairly common--especially in west Texas where I grew up. It's ranching and farming country and rattlesnakes abound like Democrats at an illegal immigration rally.

Wild dogs, wild pigs, rabid animals and of course, criminals from Mexico are all good reasons we carry everywhere.

I'm continuing to work with TSRA to push for an Open Carry law--our governor has said he'll sign it. Hell, he'll sign ANYTHING that is pro-Second Amendment.

I'd just like to have the opportunity to take my sports coat or suit jacket off in a restaurant and not have the black helicopters and SWATzis descend upon me.

--AOA

Earl said...

Good job, especially since it was a non-event. I did find my holster for OC this morning, but I am always a step behind or ahead...

Sigivald said...

Also, you might try just calling the manager of that Wal-Mart directly.

If it's not "his" policy I'm sure he'd like to know that one of his employees decided to harass you over something that isn't store policy - and if it is his personal unadvertised policy being enforced by an employee, I'm sure Corporate would like to hear about that too.

Kristophr said...

Translation: Some rabbit person bitched and moaned to the clerk, so she cooked up some bullcrap and asked you to cover it up before said rabbit person died of the vapors.

PPPP said...

Jdege's got a point, Breda. On you, that does look like quite a hand-cannon.

Though I must say, I kinda like Sigivald's suggestion. Someone at that store will get spanked. And they should.

Lydia said...

I'm sorry, I was entirely too distracted by the hot librarian in a skirt to even notice the gun.

I have to drink before walking into a WalMart...the place just gives me the heebeejeebees.

Ray said...

C'mon, gota love wally world. And there is something special about the Cleveland area Walmarts too. I'm thinking it is the accent...

From the loud speaker. "So'shit, so'shit to the checkout".

Or (again over the speaker), "So'shit, so'shit, can I get a so'shit to the loading bay....."

Went and took a look, 'cos I was curious like. Not 100% sure what a so'shit is, but it could be the huge, overweight, breathing hard, unhappy, rude, pissed off, un-interested blue clad muppet that took until the end of time to get to the loading bay.

Rusty

FatWhiteMan said...

I open carried all day on the 5th. However considering that the biggest part of my day was spent on the range and teaching an Ohio CHL class, it was pretty much a non-event.

daleosborn said...

Breda, how does the state laws differ on open carry and concealed carry?

ArmsVault said...

So... think Walmart will respond to your letter? If so, be sure to post it for all of us to read!!

- Greg

Matthew said...

Jay,

You carry your Colt under your helmet? =)

Breda,

What? You didn't immediately start yelling about your Second Amendment rights and "What part of "Shall not be infringed" don't you understand!"?

You simply politely complied and took it up with the proper folks after the fact?

I guess that makes you a 97%-er and traitor to the cause in some eyes. =/

Glad the OC went well.

- Matthew

Aaron said...

As a Canadian I admit to finding the whole open carry/concealed carry thing to be a bit odd but different cultures and all that.

Regardless, good on you for exercising your rights.